Journaling
Yesterday in my weight management class we talked about change and how our attitude toward change affects our weight loss efforts. In our discussion we talked about the Stages of Change Model which is a study of the stages we go through when faced with change. This model was originally created to help people with their addictions, drugs and smoking, but can be applied to so many things in life. I guess when you think about it, food can be an addiction. Whether we eat because we think we are hungry, eat from boredom, sadness, happiness, whatever - we wouldn't be here if we didn't have an issue with food. The idea behind the study is to show that change does not and cannot happen all at once, we go through stages during change and if we don't complete the stages then our change may not be complete.
Here are the stages:
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Precontemplation (Not yet acknowledging that there is a problem behavior that needs to be changed - DENIAL)
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Contemplation (Acknowledging that there is a problem but not yet ready or sure of wanting to make a change - ACCEPTANCE)
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Preparation/Determination (Getting ready to change - RESEARCH)
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Action/Willpower (Changing behavior)
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Maintenance (Maintaining the behavior change) and
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Relapse (Returning to older behaviors and abandoning the new changes)
I have been through precontemplation, this is very similar to denial, I did not have a weight problem. I was just fine the way I was.
I went through contemplation, around August - October of 2007, I knew my weight was beginning to be a problem. I was feeling bad, clothes didn't fit, I was eating everything in site. I started to realize just what was going to happen if I didn't get this under control.
My preparation phase started around late October 2007. We had a health fair at work and a weight loss clinic was one of the vendors. They came in with vats of fat 
and these little tubes that showed how much sugar was in one soda. I started researching diets, eating plans, and put into motion my plans to join a gym.
Now I am actively in the Action/Willpower stage. I have joined the gym and have been going since December. I joined the weightloss clinich that attended the health fair. I have been eating much better since joining the program. I just have to stay focused and keep going, I know what my future holds if I don't get my eating and exercise under control. I also know that my future will be brighter if I do get it under control.
Next come Maintenance. Hopefully I will not relapse, but if I do, I feel I will be better prepared to deal with the changes.
If you would like to read more about the stages of change go here:
http://www.addictioninfo.org/articles/11/1/Stages-of-Change-Model/Page1.html
I was challenged to start journaling my feelings every day, I will give it a shot.
Journal 1:
Today I'm feeling pretty good, I'm suffering from some severe boredom in my life right now. I will continue to monitor my boredom and find a pattern: am I bored with work, with home, with school, with friends? I don't know, but maybe keeping track will help me determine that.